Buffing wheel



C. F. SCHLEGEL BUF'FING WHEEL July 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 25, 1957 FIG.2

July 5, 19 c. F. SCHLEGEL 2,943,426

BUFFING WHEEL Filed Nov. 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 *llnited rates BUFFING WHEEL Filed Nov. 25, 1957, Ser. No. 698,744

6- Claims. c1. 51-493 The present invention relates to bufling wheels or polishing wheels and, more particularly, to a new and improved ventilated bufling wheel.

A bufling wheel of the type to which the present invention is directed is rotated at high speed in use and generates a considerable amount of heat which, of course, causes the wheel itself progressively to heat up. In a ventilated buffing wheel, the wheel is so constructed as to have built-in ventilation characteristics allowing the wheel to run cooler. A cooler running wheel, obviously, isadvantageous because it increases the life of the wheel while at the same time increasing its efficiency.

. The ventilated buffing wheel herein disclosed may be made in several manners, however, it is most conveniently made using a radial strand type of construction. In this type of buifing wheel the working surface is composed of radial strands or filaments extending radially of the wheel.

, An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved ventilated bufiing wheel having improved ventilation characteristics, thereby resulting in a cooler run ning wheel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bufling wheel constructed in a new and improved manner so as to be, self ventilated as the wheel is rotated at high speeds. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new. and improved bufl'ing wheel or polishing wheel of the radial strand type having better self ventilation than prior wheels having radial strands.

These and other objects are attained in accordance with the present invention by providing a bufling wheel comprising a plurality of superimposed layers of flexible material of arcuate shape fastened together at their inner edges and preferable shirred at their outer edges. Each arcuate layer has substantially arcuate warp threads which bind together a plurality of substantially radial weft strands of a series of different lengths, the number of weft strands increasing toward the outer working surface of the wheel. The weft strands occur in alternate groupings of relatively large diameter strands and relatively small diameter strands, thus dividing the body into radially extending alternating bands of different thicknesses.

With the layers fastened together one upon the other, the thick and thin bands provide ventilation openings between the adjacent layers. Additional ventilation openings are provided by the shirred edges of the layers.

These and other objects and features of the invention may be readily perceived from the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: I

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a buifing wheel in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section drawn to an enlarged scale of the wheel of Fig. 1, taken approximately on the line 22 thereof looking in the direction of the arrows;

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Fig.3 is a diagrammatic edge view of a portion of the structure of Fig. 1 showing an illustrative pattern of thick and thin bands and the folds resulting from the shirred edge;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the thick and thin radially extending weft bands showing the three units of weaving used, the bands being spaced and the Weft strands composing each band being spaced, only a few of the warp threads being shown; and

Fig. 5 is a greatly enlarged section through two contacting layers of the apparatus of Fig. 1 taken approximately on the line 5-5 thereof and showing the ventilation openings formed between the two layers.

The same reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the buffing wheel or polishing, wheel comprises a plurality of ring-like superimposed layers of a suitable flexible material. In the preferred embodiment the layers are provided by a flexible strip 11 of arcuate shape, wound upon itself with the different layers in overlying relation to each other, with as many turns or convolutions as may be necessary to build up the required thickness of material. In Fig. 2 five layers are illustrated as a convenient example. The outer arcuate edge 13 of the strip forms the working surface of the wheel and may be of any desired diameter. For a reason which will subsequently be more clear, the inner edge 15 of the strip abuts the outer edge of a circular core 17 made of cardboard, chipboard, or the like. The core 17 preferably is of about the same thickness as that of the superimposed layers of strip 11. To secure the strip 11 and the core 17, a pair of circular disks 19 of greater diameter than the core overlie the core oneither side, extending over the inner portion of the strip 11. Appropriate fastening means such as a plurality of staples 21 secure the disks 19 to the core 17 and to the inner portion of the strip 11. An arbor hole 23 is provided at the center of the core 17 and disks 19.

The layers formed by the flexible strip 11 are flat one upon the other at the inner edge 15 but are full toward the outer edge 13 and form a plurality of pleats 25. This is more evident in Fig. 3 where the shirred edge formed in this manner is shown. The fullness provided by the pleats produces openings, such as openings 27 and 29, between folds of a single layer and between adjacent layers. facilitate ventilation of the wheel. To provide this construction of flatness at the inner edge while having pleats at the outer edge, the strip 11 is manufactured with an arcuate inner edge which has a radius less than that of the core 17. In assembly of the butting wheel, the strip is wound around the larger radius core. The inner portion of the strip is wound snugly or tightly (in a circumferential direction) on the larger radius of the core, and remains flat, whereas the outer portion tends to gather and is given so much fullness that pleats are formed.

It can be appreciated from the description of the pleated fabric that the pleats 25 do not extend all the way to the inner edge 15, and thus ventilation provided by openings between adjacent layers due to the pleats, such as, openings 27 and 29, does not penetrate all the way to the inner edge 15. The invention provides for further ventilation openings or pockets between adjacent layers by alternately varying the thickness of the flexible strip 11 itself. To this end, the strip is composed of alternating thick bands 31 and thin bands 33, the bands 31 and 33 being radially extending segments going from the inner edge 15 to the outer edge 13. a

As has been mentioned previously, the bufling Wheel of the preferred embodiment is of the radial strand type, such as that illustrated, for instance, in United States Patent No. 2,548,623, issued Apr. 10, 1951, to the same Fatented July 5, 1960.

When the bufiing wheel is in use, these openings,

extending warp threads, the whole being woven on whatis sometimes called a circular loom. The thick and thin band pattern of the present invention is achieved by using weft strands of two diiferent diameters, a relatively large diameter strand for the thick bands 31 and a rel'atively small diameter strand for the thin bands '33. Be-

cause of the divergent nature of radii and the increasing length of are between any two radii, it is necessary to have progressively more and more weft strands as the radius increases. Accordingly, as will be explained more fully, some of the strands in each of the thick'and thin bands 31 and 33 extend from the outer edge 13 to the inner edge 15 whereas others of the strands extend from the outer edge 13 to intermediate radius levels a, b, or 0. These radial levels are approximately spaced evenly between the inner and outer edges of the strip.

The manner of weaving the flexible strip 11 with thick and thin bands is illustrated in detail in expanded Fig. 4. In manufacturing the strip, a continuous strand is woven back and forth radially to produce a complete band, the outer loops forming the outer selvage edge of the band being cut off to produce the outer working edge 13. Thus. in weaving an exemplary thick band 31a, the large diameter radial strand 35 is woven. on a path from right to left as indicated by the small arrows marked on various portions of this strand in Fig. 4. Starting at the edge 15, the strand 35 is taken to beyond the outer edge 13, returned to the radial level 0, looped around a warp strand 39 and taken radially outwardly to a point beyond the outer edge again, returned inwardly again to the radial level a, looped around another warp strand 39 at this radius, and taken beyond the outer edge 13 a third time, and finally returned to the inner edge 15. The thick strand 35 at a later time in the weaving is looped over the subsequently woven thin band 33 and the thick band 31b is begun. The outer selvage edge is trimmed after the strip has been completely woven.

Preferably but not necessarily, there are two patterns of thick bands, these being illustrated in bands 31a and 31b. in the second pattern, the strand 35 is looped at radial level b rather than at radial level a as in the first pattern, the two patterns being otherwise woven in the same way. In each of the two patterns, the leftwise strand is returned to the inner edge 15 to be looped over the next adjacent thin band to start another thick band.

The thin bands 33 may be of different patterns as in the case of the thick bands, but in the form here illustrated all have the same pattern and are made of a strand 37 having a smaller diameter than that of the thick strand 35. Each of the radially extending thin strands in Fig. 4 is actually composed of two strands 37 side by side, it not being possible to indicate the dividing line as was done for the thick bands. To trace partially the movement of a thin strand 37 as the strip 11 is woven, strand 37 is taken from the inner edge 15 to beyond the outer edge 13 and then is looped for return to the outer edge successively at the inner edge 15, at the radial level b, at the radial level 0, at the radial level a, at the inner edge 15, again at the radial level b, at the radial level a, and again at the radial level b. The strand is returned to the inner edge and thence looped over the next adjacent thick band 31b to start another thin band 33.

It is noted that each of the bands 31a, 33, and 31b becomes wider in the direction of the outer edge 13. As heretofore explained, the progressively increasing number of strands from the inner to the outer edge is required because of the divergence of the radii defining the sides of each band.

A series of arcuately extending warp threads 39 are 4 being woven at the same time as the radial strands. The warp threads 39 are spaced relatively close to one another across the width of the strip 11, only a few threads 39 being shown in Fig. 4 for the sake of clarity. As is common, adjacent warp threads go on either side of a radial strand to form a shed through which one or more strands pass. In Fig. 5, for instance, a radially opening shed 41 is formed by two adjacent warp threads 39, and a pair of thick strands 35 pass through the shed 41. (The dividing line between each pair of strands in a single shed is not shown.) In similar fashion, a smaller shed 43 is formed and the shed 43 receives two of the thin strands 37. Each shed at every radial level receives only two radial strands. Of course each radial strand may pass through a separate shed of the warp strands, if desired, instead of passing through the sheds in pairs.

Because of the thick and thin pattern of the strip 11, adjacent layers touching each other have openings or pockets 45 between them which permit ventilation of the buffing wheel when in use. These openings 45 have a scattered occurrence at the outer edge of the strip 11, where adjacent layers do not always touch one another because of the pleats 25. Toward the inner edge of the strip 11, however, the adjacent layers are frequently in contact and the ventilation provided by openings or pockets 45 becomes increasingly important.

In the preferred embodiment, the warp is cotton thread and the weft also is of cotton. Because of the thick and thin weft bands, however, it is possible and desirable in certain applications to practice the invention using a combination of materials for the weft. Thus, the thick and thin bands may be one of steel wool and the other of cotton. Other possible combinations are linen and cotton, jute and cotton, and jute and linen.

A buffing wheel or polishing wheel made in accordance with the construction herein disclosed has superior ventilation characteristics when compared with prior constructions of radial strand type wheels. As has been pointed out, ventilation between layers at the outer edge of the wheel is provided both by the shirred edge and by the thick and thin band pattern of the strip. Thus, air circulates through openings such as openings 27 and 29 created by the pleats 25. Air further circulates when ad'- jacent layers are in contact through openings such as pockets 45. Pockets 45 created by the thick and thin band pattern exist wherever the layers are in contact, even adjacent the inner edge 15. Consequently, these openings allow air circulation throughout the entire wheel. As a result, heat created at the working edge 13 is dissipated over a large part of the wheel. The bufiing wheel therefore runs cooler and has superior cutting qualities for many applications.

The shirred outer edge, in addition to providing ventilation, is further advantageous because it holds more buffing or polishing compound than prior radial strand constructions. If desired, the pleats 25 and the shirred edge may be eliminated. Ventilation in this case is largely by means of pockets 45.

It is seen that the invention provides a new and improved construction for a ventilated bufiin'g' wheel or polishing wheel. Conveniently made of the radial strand type, it is inexpensively manufactured while being rugged and efficient in service.

It is to be understood that the foregoing disclosure is given by way of illustrative example only, rather than by way of limitation, and that the details'may be varied within the scope of the appended claims withoutdeparting from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bufiing wheel, a plurality of superimposed helically-wound layers offlexible fabric-like material of arcuate shape with substantially concentric arcuate warp threads and with substantially radial weft strandsof'different lengths, Laid weft strands being of'two different diameters and providing alternating series of substantially radially extending bands of difierent thicknesses, and means for securing together said layers adjacent their inner edges.

2. In a buffing wheel, a plurality of ring-like superimposed layers of flexible fabric-like material, said material comprising substantially arcuate warp threads interwoven with substantially radial weft strands of difierent lengths, said weft strands being of different diameters to provide alternating series of substantially radially extending bands of different thicknesses, and means for fastening together said layers adjacent their inner edges.

3. In a bufiing wheel, a plurality of superimposed helically wound layers of flexible fabric-like material, said material comprising substantially arcuate warp threads interwoven with substantially radial weft threads of diiferent lengths, said weft threads being of two difierent diameters to provide alternating series of substantially radial bands of two different thicknesses, said layers lying tflat adjacent their inner edges, means for fastening together said layers adjacent their inner edges, and a plurality of substantially radial pleats in the outer portions of each layer to provide a shirred working edge.

4. A method of making a bufiing wheel comprising the steps of weaving a fabric strip of arcuate shape with an innermost diameter less than that of a core to which it is to be applied, winding said fabric strip helically about a core of substantially greater diameter than the diameter to which the innermost edge of the arcuate strip is originally woven, to cause the outer portion of said strip to become gathered into pleats, and securing said layers together adjacent their inner edges.

5. A bufiing wheel comprising a plurality of ring-like superimposed layers of flexible fabric-like material each having an inner edge adapted to be received on a core and an outer working edge, said material being composed of alternating radial bands of at least two difl ierent thicknesses, said bands extending from said inner edge to said outer edge and each being substantially homogeneous, said layers lying flat at their inner edges and being fastened together adjacent their inner edges, the super imposed bands of difierent thicknesses providing ventilating spaces therebetween extending from said outer edge all the way to said inner edge.

6. A bufiing wheel comprising a plurality of superimposed helically wound layers of flexible fabric-like material each having an inner edge adapted to be received on -a core and an outer working edge, said material being composed of alternating radial thick and thin bands, said bands extending from said inner edge to said outer edge and each being substantially homogeneous, said layers lying flat at their inner edges and being pleated at their central and outer portions whereby said outer edge is shirred, and means for fastening together the fiat portions of said layers, the superimposed layers of thick and thin bands and the pleated central and outer portions providing ventilating spaces extending from said outer edge all the way to said inner edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 188,670 Poole Mar. 20, 1877 237,395 Levett Feb. 8, 1881 794,496 Gorton July 11, 1905 1,298,522 Levet-t Mar. 25, 1919 1,504,272 Schlegel Aug. 12, 1924 1,927,862 Zimmerman Sept. 26, 1933 2,100,340 Lippitt Nov. 30, 1937 2,309,951 Hall Feb. 2, 1943 2,548,623 Schlegel Apr. 10, 1951 

